International Museum Day

18th May marks the annual International Museum Day, when museums around the world are opened to the public free of charge. Madrid will be participating in the event, opening up its major museums to visitors and tourists. Throughout the day and night, selected museums are free to visit, so make use of this opportunity to explore your favorite museums! Here is a list of participating museums in Madrid:

Museo del Prado

An impressive museum of historical art pieces, showcasing Spanish arts and history through valuable masterpieces.

Website: http://www.museodelprado.es/

Location on map: Museo del Prado

Address: Calle Ruiz de Alarcón 23, Madrid 28014

Tel:+34 91 330 2800

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am – 8pm (including holidays); closed on Mondays, From Dec 24 to 31, opening hours are reduced 9am-2pm.

Museo del Traje

The Museum of Costumes is an investigative center for ethnological heritage.

Website: http://museodeltraje.mcu.es/

Location on map: Museo del Traje

Address: Avenida de Juan de Herrera 2. Madrid 28040

Tel: +34 91 550 4700

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9:30am – 7pm; Sundays and Public Holidays 10am – 3pm.

Museo Sorolla

Showcasing the works of famous painter Joaquín Sorolla Bastida, this museum brings you through his life and his masterpieces.

Website: http://museosorolla.mcu.es/

Location on map: Museo Sorolla

Address: General Martínez Campos 37, Madrid 28010

Tel: +34 91 3101584

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9:30am – 8pm; Sundays and Public Holidays 10am – 3pm.

Museo Nacional de Antropologia

The museum aims to provide the public with a global vision of various villages and culture of Spain.

Website: http://mnantropologia.mcu.es/

Location on map: National Museum of Anthropology

Address: Calle Alfonso XII 68, Madrid 28014

Tel: 91 530 64 18

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9:30am – 8pm; Sundays and Public Holidays 10am – 3pm.

The International Museum Day 2010 in Madrid has a ‘Museums for Social Harmony’ theme, aiming to promote peace and equality using history. Besides the free museum entries, there are also numerous insightful workshops, tours and shows held at the participating museums.

Check the ICOM official website for detailed schedule; the websites of each museum will also give you the details of workshops. Those interested in finding out more about Spanish history, culture and art will be able to do son on this special occasion.

Photo credit: Flickr Creative commons photo by Zagarbal.